Intermediate Care in Italy: Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities for Person-Tailored Care

Abstract

The concept of intermediate care is gaining increasing recognition in Italy as a critical strategy for improving quality of care and promoting the integration of healthcare services across different settings. This is driven by demographic changes and the growing prevalence of chronic conditions. One of the key challenges in delivering intermediate care in Italy is ensuring that care is person-tailored, which requires a shift towards a more holistic approach that prioritizes individual preferences and values. This requires greater collaboration and communication across different healthcare settings and a coordinated approach to the delivery of care that promotes innovation and the use of technology to support remote monitoring and care delivery. Despite these challenges, intermediate care offers significant opportunities with which to enhance the quality of care, reduce healthcare costs, and promote social cohesion as well as community engagement. Overall, a coordinated and comprehensive approach is required to address the challenges and opportunities associated with intermediate care and to deliver person-tailored care that improves health outcomes as well as sustainability in Italy.